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November 2024

27th November 2024
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Image of jan in a green cardigan holding a microsphone with her right hand in the air.

November 2024 News

It’s a shock to us, if not to you, that we are a quarter way through the 21st century. As our penultimate newsletter of 2024 we want to share our passion for group coaching and the importance that everyone deserves and needs a coach, see Jan’s LinkedIn post) and that the essence of a high performing team is about communication.

It’s now 5 years since we launched our conversations on inclusion. And in 2025 we want to grow the engagement with this approach.: to help stop the preaching about EDI and to enable and empower each person to do one thing.

This month we’re exploring

  • The CliftonStrength, Competition – scroll to the bottom
  • The benefit of getting a coach , early in your career, and especially for PhD/Postdocs. Also, how group coaching is a cost effective and powerful choice.
  • Helping to get things done with the FREE graphic summary of the 4 disciplines of execution
  • Notice of our December Strengths Jam end of year party. 4 December at 11am

We hope you will be rooting for us at the Elektra Awards, for a company supporting the education and training of engineers on 10th December.

We continue to love, love, love, facilitating workshops and create action plans for a diverse range of inclusion programmes with corporates, professional societies, and universities including renewing for Athena Swan.

This year in the office we are enjoying the sunny days, knowing that all our energy for heat, light, and PCs is coming from the sun! 100% solar.

In the meantime we hope your Movember is a good one. 

Jan and the Katalytik team

PS If you’d like to catch up and hear more, or check-in for a chat  just book a call

PPS don’t forget to sign up to our GDPR compliant news letter at the top of the page to get this direct to your inbox. 

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Elektra finalist 2024

We are excited to have been shortlisted for the Elektra Award, for companies supporting engineering education. Since we led the Set to Lead project at UCL in 2010 we have proivded input to the UKSPEC and AHEP, three times! gone on to embed inclusive thinking into the award winning Integrated Engineering Programme at UCL, and from the symposia in 2016 and 2018 written the report Designing inclusive engineering education. Our learning has led to our Engineering Inclusion Forum – training trainers to tweak their programmes, supporting doctoral students and academics, and working to measure progress.

the work vortex

We’re not all blessed with ‘executing themes’ high in our CliftonStrengths profile. But we probably all get caught up in the vortex of work and life. This months ‘must read’ and your free download is the summary of the book “The 4 disciplines of execution” by Chesney, Covey, and Huling.

If you find yourself in a vortex, are stuck, and feel like you just aren’t getting things done, see if this helps. And then read Atomic Habits! 

4 researchers standing around a glass window with post it notes.

The value of coaching early in one’s career is often underestimated. While coaching is often associated with senior professionals, the truth is that coaching can propel individuals towards their goals swiftly. As Eric Schmidt of Google emphasized, ‘Everyone needs a coach.’ We advocate for the impact of group coaching. It serves as a platform for peers to collaborate, learn from each other, and grow collectively. It provides an opportunity to enhance practice listening skills abilities by actively engaging in the coaching process. Read more on Jan’s LinkedIn

A man standing in front of a screen pointing to a diagram and the words taking strengths deeper

Helen and Jan took a day out of the office to meet with other CliftonStrengths coaches and Simon Hurry of Play Nicely to dive deeper into positive psychology and Simon’s deep thinking of how groups of CliftonStrengths are often found within one person.

Simon has framed these types into a 4×4 matrix that shape how we show up: as Guardians, Change Managers, Change Agents, and Reformers.  We’re looking forward to exploring his methodology in 2025 and bringing our insights to our workshops and teams very soon. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, call for a chat.

Graphic lightbulb on dark blue background with Electric Dreams written across the front.

Katalytik is excited to be the training provider for the Electric Dreams project – celebrating the innovation and passions of women from 1924 who set up the Electrical Association of Women to “free them from domestic drudgery”. And asking people to think forwards to 2054. Part of this years Ingenious fund, we are providing the training and faciliation of the project. 

Funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Project Jan is excited to be the training facilitator. 

Strengths jam with images of jan, helen and a participant. The Katalytik Community call.

Strengths Jam – 4th December  11am

A Strengths Jam Christmas Party 😊

Let’s reflect on great moments from 2024,  What strengths were you using, and why are these such powerful memories? How can we bring this into the Christmas period and 2025? In true party style, you all leave with an e gift from us at Katalytik

Join us by registering here

Silvered figures sprinting across the image withthe title for the blog "Competition blindspots" and a small icon of Darth Vader.

This month’s strengths blog

The CliftonStrength Competition® is a gift in many settings. It brings an energy and push to be first. Appreciating that others are not motivated by being first, or winning at all costs, can seem surprising. Time to reflect and explore what their world is like can be an eye-opener into how you can be helpful partners.

This blog looks at the darker side of Competition and offers strategies for leveraging its power and learning how to let it be a help and not a hindrance to your success.

Read the blog

 

Read more →

Communication – strengths or weakness?

5th November 2024
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Blindpsot Communication blog a man is dominating the conversation

Communication – a strength or weakness?

The CliftonStrengths Communication theme is a gift in many settings. But Communication can present challenges and have the opposite of the effect you expect and impact your connection to others. An integral part of our dark side blog series, we offer tips to build your strengths-based practice and live a strengths-based life. 

Individuals with high Communication excel at finding the right words to express ideas vividly, share stories that stick, and engage audiences effectively. Yet, like all strengths, the Communication theme has potential blind spots—areas where over-reliance on or misapplication of this talent can lead to unintended consequences. Identifying and understanding these blind spots is vital if you are to make the most of this talent while staying grounded in authentic, constructive communication.

Understanding Communication as a Strength

Those high in Communication naturally think in words and enjoy describing, explaining, or “giving voice” to things. They typically value clarity and prefer to express themselves in a way that’s accessible to others. They also bring energy to group settings and often encourage team discussion by turning complex ideas into relatable, easily digestible messages. People with this theme can:

  • inspire,
  • motivate,
  • entertain, and
  • clarify

However, for all its potential, this talent can have limitations when not applied with balance.

Key Blind Spots of the Communication Strength

1. Talking More Than Listening

One of the most common blind spots for people with Communication is a tendency to talk more than listen. Because they’re naturally inclined to share their thoughts and elaborate on topics, they may unconsciously dominate conversations, leaving others feeling unheard. This can become a particular challenge in team environments, where shared input and collaboration are essential. Overuse of verbal expression may unintentionally crowd out other voices, which can impact trust and openness.

One of the most common blind spots for people with Communication is a tendency to talk more than listen

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Actively practice pausing and inviting others to share your perspectives. (A must-read for you is Deep Listening by Oscar Trimboli.) Setting an intention to listen first before speaking helps balance (or, in fact, makes the conversation two-way!!) the dialogue. Inviting feedback from colleagues or friends helps you gain insight into how others perceive their own listening skills. Pausing to acknowledge others’ contributions can go a long way in building strong, trusting relationships.

2. Over-Reliance on Storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool, and people with high Communication naturally leverage stories to make their points memorable and impactful. However, there’s a fine line between insightful storytelling and overwhelming others with anecdotes. If overused, storytelling can dilute the focus of a conversation, particularly in situations where a concise, straightforward answer is more appropriate. Too many stories can feel like too much embellishment and your listeners’ may lose focus or even question your credibility.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Learning to assess when a story is relevant to the conversation—and when it’s not—is key. Before sharing a story, pause and consider if it adds value to the topic at hand. Setting the stage for storytelling by briefly stating the main point can also help you keep the narrative concise and impactful, rather than straying into unrelated details. Asking yourself, “Is this story helping clarify the message or adding noise?” – a tip I find acts as a helpful guide.

One of the most common blind spots for people with Communication is a tendency to talk more than listen

3. Preference for Verbal Communication Over Written Communication

Talking comes naturally. Writing, however, may not always be your preferred medium, and you might struggle with long, structured written tasks that require a different level of focus. The verbal fluency that Communication talent holders exhibit doesn’t always translate seamlessly to writing, which may require precision, structure, and brevity. In workplaces or situations where clear documentation is crucial, this preference can become a limitation.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Practice organizing your ideas before writing, just as you would outline a story before telling it. Taking the time to develop written structure and tone can improve clarity and ensure that your message comes across as intended. Additionally, using tools like bullet points and summaries helps break down complex messages for clarity, a technique to  build into your routine to strengthen your communication talent.

4. Difficulty Handling Ambiguity or Silence

Are you uncomfortable with ambiguity or silence in conversations? You may feel the need to fill the space with words, even when the situation might call for reflection or quiet. This tendency can sometimes lead to saying things without full consideration, potentially resulting in miscommunication. Inadvertently, you may also push others into feeling rushed or pressured to speak before they’re ready, which can hinder genuine sharing and problem-solving.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Practicing being comfortable with silence and learning to read the room are valuable skills to nurture. Always seek to  remind yourself that pauses allow others time to process information, and this can lead to more thoughtful responses. Developing patience with moments of silence can also deepen interpersonal connections, as it shows openness to listening and understanding at a deeper level. Again, refer to Oscar Trimboli.

5. Appearing Superficial or Lacking Depth

Your ability to convey ideas in simple terms, because of your Communication talent means you may be perceived as being superficial. While you can make complex ideas seem easy to understand, this tendency can sometimes come across as lacking depth, especially when discussing intricate or nuanced subjects. This perception can impact your credibility, which is a great reason to stay tuned in to it especially in professional settings where expertise and detailed understanding are valued.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
Being able to show the depth behind your ideas will help. Be ready to share additional information or acknowledge complexities that may not be fully covered in a quick summary. This can divert potential criticisms, encourage or deflect alternative perspectives to show that you’ve considered multiple sides of the topic. Asking for others’ viewpoints can also demonstrate that you value depth and are open to richer discussions.

6. Overwhelming Others with Information

Communication-oriented individuals often possess a wealth of information on various topics, which they’re eager to share. The risk of overwhelming others with excessive detail, especially if you are inclined to go off on tangents or over-explain can cause confusion, fatigue, and even frustration in listeners, particularly in fast-paced or high-stakes situations.

Overcoming This Blind Spot:
The key here is to focus on delivering information that’s relevant and concise. Practicing the art of summarization can be helpful. Always keep an eye on what the main takeaway should be and limit your message to that core point. By practicing brevity and learning to “edit” your verbal contributions, you can keep conversations productive and engaging. Some may enjoy the art of graphic recording.

Communication-oriented individuals often possess a wealth of information on various topics, which they’re eager to share.

Final Thoughts

Awareness of these blind spots allows individuals with the Communication strength to become more intentional and self-aware in their interactions. Communication is a powerful tool, but like all strengths, it’s most effective when balanced with listening, adaptability, and sensitivity to others. By developing these skills, people high in Communication can maximize their impact, create authentic connections, and truly elevate their message.

Six quick tips to stop over communicating

  1. Action to Balance Talking with Listening

Practice Active Listening Techniques:

  • Start conversations by asking a question and waiting to respond until the other person finishes sharing.
  • Use reflective listening by summarizing what you heard before adding your thoughts. This reinforces listening and helps others feel valued.

Quick Tip: Set a timer for 1-2 minutes and let others share without interrupting. Aim to listen fully before responding.

  1. Action to Focus Storytelling

Consider the Purpose of Your Story:

  • Before sharing an anecdote, ask yourself, “How does this story add to my main message?”
  • Practice telling stories with a time limit (e.g., 2 minutes) to hone concise storytelling skills. Aim to deliver only the most relevant details.

Quick Tip: Try to finish your story with a direct takeaway or insight, connecting it back to the topic at hand.

  1. Action to Strengthen Written Communication

Practice Outlining Before Writing:

  • Before you begin writing, jot down a few bullet points to structure your thoughts. This will help you stay focused on the main points and maintain clarity.
  • Use editing tools (e.g., Grammarly, Hemingway) to refine your writing for brevity and readability.

Quick Tip: Write a short summary or “headline” for your written message first. This can serve as a guide for keeping your message on track.

  1. Action to Embrace Silence in Conversations

Count to Three Before Responding:

  • After someone else speaks, pause and count to three before responding. This gives others a moment to add more thoughts and prevents you from filling the silence too quickly.
  • Practice mindfulness or breathing exercises before meetings to develop comfort with pauses and reflective moments.

Quick Tip: During team discussions, remind yourself that silence is an opportunity for deeper reflection and that you don’t need to fill every pause.

  1. Action to Show Depth and Credibility

Prepare Key Facts or Data Points:

  • Before important meetings or discussions, come prepared with a few well-researched data points or examples to support your main points. This can help you convey credibility and depth.
  • When sharing ideas, add a brief mention of any sources or prior experiences that back your perspective.

Quick Tip: Think about adding one “supporting detail” for each main point you make to show depth without overwhelming others.

  1. Action to Avoid Overloading Others with Information

Practice the Rule of Three:

  • Aim to share no more than three main points or pieces of information at a time. This can prevent your message from becoming overly detailed or complex.
  • Practice summarizing complex ideas into one or two sentences first, and save extra details for when they’re requested.

Quick Tip: End with a question like, “Would you like to hear more about that?” to let others decide if they want further detail.

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Video stories

26th October 2021
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Our research reports and projects always have a ‘so what?’ factor about them. We have taken this talent and in partnership with Major Minor Media have produced a series of video stories to encapsulate the learning from projects and events. Katalytik was commissioned by…

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